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my neighbour has 3 chickens (and i think she has for yrs) and she has also has always had about 5 black cats to keep the rats down, presumably the rats are after leftover food that the chickens miss as i'm sure she must keep it safe...she does let them run round the garden and we have seen rats in the hedge next to the chickens. sad thing is that we live on a main road and and the cats regulary get run over...personally i think that she is a little selfish, all those dead cats for the sake of afew chickens!

Hmm, well don't like rats, but we live in the country so do see them occasionally.
I will keep the feeder in the hen house and keep a close eye out.
We have dogs - Floosy, did you mean that dog poo keeps the foxes away? If so, I'll arrange some strategically along the hedge into the field beside the garden!! (field side, of course!)
What 'makes' of chicken do you all have? I'm going to look at some this morning. I fancy 4 diffferent types - I'd like one that lays blue/green eggs and one that lays really dark brown.
Which breeds do you find the most friendly? And are there any that you have found more agressive to other hens? I don't want a bully in the flock!

Our local college has one day courses on a Saturday for new chicken farmers so it might be worth checking ot to see if there are any local to you.

Also fox proof your runs.

I sometimes see people asking for hen coops and equipment on Freecycle

I put an ad on Freecycle, but no replies.
I haven't seen any foxes round here - lots of deer and rabbits and badgers! But we will make it as secure as we can. When I'm in the garden I plan to let them out to wander round.

Our 6 girls are very happy in a similar house from flytesofancy, probably the previous generation of the one you've picked (but no nice heart shape). I think you'll find them reasonable/good quality, service was very good, but I think I remember paying only about half the current price a couple of years ago. Tesco Direct have self-assembly chicken coops quite cheap (cheep), but maybe you get what you pay for. Sadly I think Tesco also sell chickens (live ones) but wouldn't dream of buying there (their Dobbies garden centre outlets).

One tip for when you get your new brood - put them 'to bed' and lock the door when you bring them home, whatever the time of day, and let them out next morning. Get them used to being 'at home' at night. Some of ours didn't and got used to sleeping in trees, and it was quite a job to catch them and get them used to the house before winter really set in. Have heard stories of chickens literally being frozen to their perches poor things. Chickens do like trees - provide some, or some other shady shelter from summer sun.

Thank you - glad to hear your flytesofancy coop is still going strong. I still can't decide whether it's completely mad to spend that much money - but I do have to look at it every day, so I want it to be attractive as well as functional.
Lol at chickens sleeping in trees!

We had hens...had I say! They were always supposed to by DH's job, but he always seemed to be too busy to feed, water, clean them. And they wrecked the garden totally. I did like the eggs, but disliked watching the biggest one dispatch a rat, it was the most brutal thing I have ever seen - and yes, we do have cats too. The hens beat the dogs up, and peck anything coloured, especailly red nail varnish - watch out for summer toes!
How can you guess I am pleased they have gone to live in a friend's orchard?!!